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Rare American Coins: 







Their Description, 



AND 



pa5t ai?d pn?s<ftt pi<;titiou5 l/alue$. 




A NUMISMATIST'S TWENTY-FIVE YEARS' EXPERIENCE. 



BY 



E. LOCKE MASON. 




BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED BY PERCIVAL GASSETT. 
1887. 



»>^* 



o 



vv** 



COPYRIGHTED BY PERCIVAL GASSETT, 1887. 



PRINTED AND ELECTROTYPBD BY 

CASHMAN, KEATING & COMPANY, 
Boston, Mass. 



Ilia 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 





1804 UNITED STATES SILVER DOLLAR. 



There is no authentic record in the history of 
the United States Mint, or elsewhere, of the 
correct number of United States silver dollars 
issued, bearing the date 1804, and this fact is 
much regretted by collectors of American coins, 
as there surrounds this coin much of history and 
mystery; much that is mythical and cynical; 
much that requires elaboration and explanation 
— hence the task of writing the history of this 
rarest of all United States coins, is beset with 
difficulties. 

The "Statement of Coinage" in the United 
States Mint at Philadelphia, records the number 
of silver dollars issued in 1804 as 19,570; but 
from the well-known fact that the fiscal year of 
the United States Treasury Department com- 
mences July 1st and ends June 30th, and thus 
embraces part of two years, viz: 1803 and '04, 
the statement of the coinage for a given year is 
erroneous and the 19,570 dollars coined, repre- 
sents all the silver dollar coinage of the last half 
of 1803. 

Starting with the above explanation we are 
compelled to accept the knowledge of a few 
examples of the 1804 dollars (there being about 
six original pieces and eight or ten re-strikes,) as 
near the number coined. Of the original 1804 
dollars, we can trace one to Col. M. A. Stickney 
of Salem, Mass.; one in L. G. Parmelee's cabinet, 
Boston, Mass.; one recently in the possession of 
R. C. Davis, Philadelphia; one in William S. 
Appleton's cabinet, Boston, Mass-; one in W. B. 



Wetmore's collection, and one in the United 
States Mint cabinet in Philadelphia. Of the 
"re-strikes" there is one in Liverpool, England; 
one in the possession of Mr. Thatcher, Philadel- 
phia ; one in the Davis cabinet ; one said to be 
in Morristown, N. J.; one in Birlin, Germany; 
one in Paris, France; and two in the United 
States Mint, Philadelphia. In the year i860, the 
son of Adam Eckfeldt, formerly chief coiner of 
the United States Mint, had in his possession 
three "re-strikes," 1804, United States dollars, 
which were said to have been claimed by the 
United States Government and destroyed. There 
are many counterfeit and altered dates of this 
dollar. The genuineness of the 1804 dollar is 
known by the close proximity of the upper left- 
hand point of the star to the top of the right angle 
of the letter Y in liberty. In all the altered 
dates the discrepancy in this respect will be 
readily noticed. There is also a slight difference 
between the altered and genuine in the position 
of the legend, eagle's claw, etc., on the reverses. 
The electrotype 1804 dollars are readily known 
by the periphery or edge being unlettered and 
having no ringing sound, like the resonance of 
fine silver. 

The fictitious value of the 1804 dollar is con- 
stantly advancing and the auction sale of 
Mickley's specimen (an original) fetched in 1867, 
the sum of $750, while the sale of one last winter 
realized $1000. Dealers in coins offer from $300 
to #600. 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 





1794 UNITED STATES SILVER DOLLAR. 



The next rarest United States dollar (follow- 
ing the 1804), was the issue of 1794. This coin 
marks the commencement of the dollar series, 
it being the first silver dollar coined by the 
United States Government. 




THE FIRST U. S. MINT, PHILADELPHIA. 

At the period of this coinage, the United 
States Mint was located on Seventh, directly 
opposite Filbert Street, Philadelphia. Presi- 
dent Washington frequently visited this mint 
(which was but a short walk from Market 



Street, where he resided), to view its operations, 
and it was here that the old family silver of 
Washington's household was melted up and 
made into the well-known beautiful Dismes and 
and Half-Dismes, each bearing on obverse a beau- 
tiful bust of his wife Martha. These small 
silver coins, or tokens, were distributed by 
Washington among his friends, and are much 
valued at the present day. 

The site of this Mint was an old still-house, 
and another wooden building. The property 
was purchased by the Government in 1791, and 
the corner-stone of the Mint was laid July 31, 
1792, and the building completed in September 
of the same year. Three coin presses imported 
from England were placed in the mint, Oct. 9, 
and used to strike the Pattern Dismes and Half- 
Dismes of 1 792, to which we have alluded 
above. To return to the 1794 dollar, which was 
the first United States silver dollar coined, we 
would state that only a few proof pieces were 
struck up to July, 1794; subsequently there was 
a regular coinage of one thousand seven hundred 
and fifty-eight 1794 dollars for general circula- 
tion. These dollars are now very rare and 
command high prices at auction coin sales, and 
among coin dealers. 

The first "proof" 1794 dollar coined was 
presented to the British Mint, London, and 
now reposes in all its original beauty and lustre 
in that wonderful institution. 

A fine specimen of this dollar would com- 
mand, at a public coin sale, at least five hundred 
dollars, while worn examples of this coinage 
would be worth from fifty to one hundred 
dollars. 



RARE AMERICAN- COINS. 





THE UNITED STATES FLYING EAGLE PATTERN DOLLARS. 



The coinage of United States silver dollars, 
which commenced in the year 1794, continued 
to 1804, inclusive, and was suspended from 
1805 to 1839, inclusive. Excepting the " Pattern 
Dollars " of 1836, 1838 and 1839, no other regu- 
lar issues occurred. From 1840 to the present 
date the series of silver dollars remains un. 
broken. There are numismatists who claim 
that the only dollars issued in 1851, 1852 and 
1858 were " proof " pieces, but we have never 
observed a so-called "uncirculated" United 
States silver dollar of 1858, although there are a 
number of uncirculated United States silver dol- 
lars of 1851 and 1852 ; hence the series remains 
complete from 1840 to the present date. 

The 1836, 1838 and 1839 silver dollars bear a 
very close resemblance in general designs ; the 
stars on the reverse of the 1839 are, however, 
omitted, but appear on the obverse of the 1838 
dollar. For beauty of design the 1836 dollar 
has been very generally admired, although, there 
are persons who believe that there never was 
and never will be United States silver dollars 
that can compare in tidy looks and general 
beauty to the " Dollars of our Daddies ; " or 
grand daddies ! 

The statement of the United States Mint 
authorities, that there were one thousand 1836 
silver dollars coined, is doubtless correct, but 
as there were unauthorized issues of some of 
the rare silver dollars made at different periods 
subsequently to this date there may be a larger 
number extant. 

There have appeared at various coin sales 
"altered dates" of these dollars, so cleverly 
executed as to puzzle numismatists of little 
experience. 



The 1836 dollar in brilliant proof condition 
is worth twelve to fourteen dollars ; while in 
the following conditions bear the annexed 
prices : 

1836 dollar, very fine, $10.00 

fine, 8.00 

" " good, 6.00 

fair, 4.50 

The 1838 dollar in brilliant proof condition 
is worth fifty- five dollars with the following 
prices for lower conditions, viz : — 

1838 dollar, very fine, $45.00 

" " fine, 350° 

" " good, 30.00 

" " fair, ^25.00 

This dollar is much rarer than either the 

1836 or 1839. 

The 1839 dollar in brilliant proof condition is 
worth thirty-five dollars ; in other conditions as 
follows : 

1839 dollar, very fine, $30.00 
" " fine, 25.00 

" " good, 20.00 

" " fair, 15.00 

The silver dollars of 1851, 1852 and 1858, of 
the latest issues, command the next highest 
prices, viz : 

1851 dollar, brilliant proof, $50.00 
" " very fine, 45.00 

fine, 35.00 

" " good, 30.00 

" " fair, 20.©o 

1852 " brilliant proof, 55 00 
" " very fine, 48.00 
" " fine, 40.00 
" " good, >.oo 
" " fair, 20.00 

1858 " brilliant proof, 35.00 
very fine, 25.00 

20.00 



fine, 

good, 

fair, 



15.00 
10.00 



RARE AMERICAN- COINS. 





1799 AND 1804 UNITED STATES COPPER CENTS. 



There are several of the series of United 
States copper cents that may be termed rarer 
and more valuable, fictitiously, than those dated 
1799 and 1804 and among these, we specify the 
American cent of 1793, the x 794 starred cent and 
the " Jefferson Head " cent of 1795 » ^ ut there arc 
none of any date that possess the interest of the 
two above illustrated coins. The United States 
Mint authorities quote the following quantity of 
each of these rare cents as coined in the years 
named, viz : 

1799, whole number coined, $9,045.85 
1804, " " " 7,568.38 

Now we find a sad discrepancy between the 
figures and the facts. The value and rarity of 
these much sought after and fondly cherished 
copper coins could not be as great as at present 
if the United States coinage for 1799 really 
embraced nearly a million, as the value above 
would indicate, copper cents ; nor would the 
1804 cent be treasured and valued as it is by 
thousands of numismatists, if there were over 
seven hundred thousand of these desirable 
coppers coined. 

As we have said, in previous numbers of these 
articles, there is no correct account of the coin- 
ages of the years 1799 and 1804, either in the 
United States Mint at Philadelphia, the Treasury 
Department at Washington, or elsewhere. The 
fact is that the total value of cents, as given by 
the United States Mint reports for the years 
named embrace four years that is — 
1st the fiscal year, July 1, 1798, to June 30, 1799 
2d " " " " " 1803, " " * 1804 
Thus we see that four years are included in 
the statement of coinages of the United States 
Mint, and the very common 1798 and 1803 cents 
are included in the issues for 1799 and 1804. 



If we were asked to guess, after an experi. 
ence as a coin dealer of upward of twenty-five 
years, what number of these two rare American 
coins were issued, we should say about 2,500 
of 1799, and 1800 of the date 1804. 

We confidentially believe that the 1804 cent 
is the rarest of the two dates, although the cent 
of 1799 will always fetch the highest fictitious 
price, either by auction or at private sale. Our own 
experience is that there are more copper cents 
dated 1799 than 1804. Upon one occasion (1867) 
the late Prof. M. W. Dickerson of Philadelphia, 
offered us sevoity United States copper cents 
dated 1799; all poor, as is the case of most of 
this date, but all genuine, and we made a bid of 
one dollar each (worth now in same condition $5 
each). During all the years of our numismatic 
career, and while manipulating public coin sales 
by auction in New York and Philadelphia, we 
we have found three 1799 cents to two of 1804. 

In reference to the present fictitious value of 
these two numismatic rareties, we would say, 
that an uncirculated, or more properly speaking, 
an unworn copper cent of 1799, of good color and 
sharp would fetch at public auction almost as 
much as an 1S04 United States silver dollar; or 
to come down to plain figures five to eight hun- 
dred dollars. A 1799 cent in the latter condi- 
tion, is unknown, either at home or abroad, in 
the cabinet of any private collector of State, or 
institution. The same can be said of the 1S04 
cent, with two or perhaps three exceptions, al- 
though the fictitious value of the latter would 
not reach half the price of the former — condi- 
tions and sharpness of pieces being equal. J. J. 
Mickley, the late numismatic expert (whose 
cabinet of American coins before his great loss 
by robbery was not excelled in value, or condi- 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



tion, in the United States) spent nearly a life- 
time in the search for a good 1799 copper cent. 
Mr. Mickley's object at first was to secure a 
cent of the date of his birth, as a pocket piece, 
and he often told us that he secured every other 
date of the cent series before he obtained the 
long-sought-for date, 1799, and this simple ob- 



ject in Mr. Mickley's life led up to the formation 
of one of the grandest cabinets of American coins 
known at the time of his great loss by burglars 
in the year 1867, and gave to American Numis- 
matic History, one of the best of contributors, 
whose decease numismatists of two hemispheres 
constantly deplore. 



NEW ENGLAND SILVER COINAGES. 




THE NEW ENGLAND SIXPENCE. 



The earliest known coinage for New England 
dates back to 1652. The Massachusetts General 
Court passed an act on the 27th of May in the 
above year, which established a mint in Boston ; 
this being the first mint ever put in operation in 
the United States. John Hull of Boston, was 
appointed mint master, and the act aforesaid 
required three silver pieces to be coined, viz : — 
Twelvepence, sixpence and threepence ; the 
obverse sides to bear the script capitals, N. E., 
while upon the reverses of the pieces should 
appear the Roman numerals, XII., VI., III. The 
illustration of the " sixpence " above exhibits 
the appearance of each coin, the only difference 
being the denomination. In order to supply the 
bullion necessary to this coinage, the mint was 
ordered to receive " Bullion plate, or Spanish 
Coin," for assay and refining, and the depositor 
of the same was allowed to witness the process 
of refining, assaying and alloying, and to receive 
a receipt for the " good silver alloyed, as afore- 
said." John Hull received one shilling in every 
twenty coined, for expense of coinage, which 
amount was subsequently increased a sixpence. 



The " Minting House " was erected on Hull's 
property, the latter residing at the time, south of 
the entrance to Pembroke Square, Boston. 

The authorities on the nth of June, 1652*. 
ordered a silver two-penny piece, and all the 
coins were to be of a " round forme," and the 
extraordinary directions were also given to make 
the coins "flatt and square." The coins as they 
appear now present a flat, ridged, or reeded, face ; 
the designs, or denominations, appearing in a 
sort of frame. There are many counterfeits of 
the New England pieces, chiefly of English ori- 
gin ; but they rarely deceive the expert collector. 
Original coins of the " N. E." pattern are very 
rare and command prices about as follows : — 

N. E. shilling 1652, very fine, $50. 

" " " " good, 28. 

" " sixpence " very fine, 60. 

" " " " good, 35. 

Notwithstanding the order issued for coining 
other denominations, there are known but two 
varieties, the shilling and sixpence. Becker's 
counterfeits embrace shilling, sixpence, three- 
pence, twopence, and penny. 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 




MASSACHUSETTS "PINE TREE" MONEY. 



In 1652, soon after the issue of the New Eng- 
land pieces, there were coined various kinds of 
the so-called " Pine Tree " money ; although the 
coins presented three different trees on their 
obverses, viz : — The pine tree, oak tree and the 
willow tree ; the latter two being the rarest va- 
rieties. The " Pine Tree " issues consist of the 
shilling, sixpence and threepence. The law au- 
thorizing this series of silver coins designated a 
tree as the device, but it was silent on the kind 
of tree ; hence the mint master exercised his 
own pleasure as to the tree, and we have the 
different varieties as aforesaid. The following 
anecdote, which is vouched for by various au- 
thorities on Colonial history, is worth a place 
here and we give it. " John Hull and Robert 
Saunderson were equal officers in the gainful 
business of the mint. How much they coined 
in all for the Colony, or the exact amount of 
their profits under the contract they carried out, 
cannot be determined. The coinage was cer- 
tainly large in amount, and they, as was well 
understood, became men of wealth and sub- 
stance. When the daughter of John Hull was 
married to Judge Samuel Sewall, the founder of 
the town of Newbury, Mass., the prosperous 
mint master gave the bride a dowery of her 
weight in silver. At the conclusion of the wed- 
ding ceremony, a large steel-yard was brought 
into the room, and the blushing bride placed 



upon one of the platforms of the same, while 
into a tub upon the other side, were poured the 
Pine Tree shillings, until the steel-yard bal- 
anced." This John Hull died Oct. 1, 1683, and 
the operations of the mint were discontinued. 
There are twenty-five types of the shilling and 
as many minor varieties ; of the sixpence but 
three varieties are known; of the threepence 
there are two varieties. These coins were 
struck for nearly thirty years (1652 to 1682) but 
all bore the date 1652. There is a collection of 
coins in Boston, a " Good Samaritan Shilling," 
supposed to have been a " Pattern Piece," that 
bears a resemblance in size and general appear- 
ance to the " Pine Tree " money ; but the obverse 
of the piece had the parable of the good Sam- 
aritan illustrated, while the reverse was not 
unlike a " Pine Tree " shilling. 

" Pine Tree " shillings vary in value according 
to rarity and condition, and are worth as follows : 

P. T. shilling, 1652 uncirculated $15. 



" " fine 


6. 


" " good 
sixpence " uncirculated 
" " fine 


3-50 
20. 
8. 


" " good 
threepence " uncirculated 
" " fine 


4- 
25. 
10. 


" " good 


4- 



RARE AMERICAN- COINS. 





THE CALIFORNIA GOLD "SLUGS," ETC. 



The gold " Slugs," or $50 pieces, as above 
illustrated, were confined to the State of Califor- 
nia, and made their appearance early in the year 
1851, congress having established a United 
States Assay Office, in San Francisco, for their 
coinage, in 1850. There are two types of the 
$50 pieces, one round in form, and the other 
octagon. In 1854 Congress passed an "Act 
Establishing a Branch Mint," in San Francisco. 
Previous to this there had been a number of 
private companies issuing gold coins ; among 
these were the Oregon Exchange Co., 1849, coin- 
ing only a $5 piece; a Dr. J. S. Ormsby, of 
Pennsylvania, struck off a $10 gold piece, 1849, 
approved by Templeton Reid, assayer; the 
"Cincinnati Mining and Trading Company," 
1849, issued a $5 gold piece, and, in 1850, a $10 
gold coin. The Miner's Bank of San Francisco 
issued a $10 piece. The " N. G. & N. Co.," 
1849, issued a $5 piece; and, in the same year, 
the " Massachusetts and California Company," 
issued a similar coin. Dunbar & Co., and Bald- 
win & Co., also circulated $5 and $10 coins, and 
the " S. M. V.," in 1851, coined a half eagle bear- 
ing their initials. Dubosque & Co. was another 
firm that issued coins, confining their efforts to 
$10 pieces dated 1851.* 

Of all these various California coins none have 
the interest and fictitious value that surrounds 
the heaviest of all known gold coins, the " Cali- 
fornia Gold Slugs," or $50 pieces. 

It has been frequently stated that the $50 
pieces were not an authorized U. S. coin ; and 
there are financial writers and numismatists who 
believe that the " slugs " issued were a private 

* The Humbert $10 piece, of 1852, was a pretty coin, and circulated largely in California. MoSat & Co. issued 
$5 and $10 pieces and gold ingots — 1849 to 1852. 



enterprise, and coined simply to put the gold 
dust and nuggets in convenient shape for hand- 
ling and trading purposes. The following ex- 
tract of a letter from the directors of the mint, 
sent in reply to an inquiry as to whether or not 
the " slugs " were merchandise or coins, settles 
the controversy beyond dispute : 

Treasury Department, 

Office of the Director of the Mint, 

Washington, D. C, May 1. 

Sir, — I have received your letter of the 30th 
ult.. requesting to be informed if the $50 Califor. 
nia Slug is an authorized United States coin. 

"The 'California Slug' is not an authorized 
United States coin, but simply a slug, or bar, 
with the United States stamp, indicating the de- 
gree of fineness and value affixed by the United 
States Assayer, appointed by authority of law, to 
perform such duties in assaying and fixing the 
value of gold in grain and lump, and in forming 
the same into bars, as shall be prescribed by the 
Secretary of the Treasury." 

The prices of California slugs vary accord- 
ing to fineness, and the round slug commands 
the highest premium, as follows : 

Round California Gold slug, uncir'd 
" fine 



Octagon 



" good 
" " uncir'd 
" fine 
" good 
There are several varieties, chiefly dated 
and 1852, the former the rarest date. 



. $105.00 

85.00 

70.00 

. 85.00 

. 75.00 

65.00 

8 5 l 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 





UNITED STATES NICKEL " NO CENTS" COINAGE, AND THE NICKEL 

COINAGE GENERALLY. 



Iu the year 1837, a German mechanic residing 
in New York City named Feutchwanger, in- 
vented, coined and circulated nickel three-cent 
and one-cent coins; and in addition to setting up 
a mint of his own, contrary to the laws of the 
United States regulating the coinage, petitioned 
congress for the payment of his discovery of a 
new metal, requesting the modest sum of one 
hundred thousand dollars ! Instead of receiving 
a reward the nickel inventor came near serving 
a sentence in the penitentiary. These New York 
nickel " Feutchwangers " were very pretty 
pieces ; one three-cent piece bore on the obverse 
an eagle on a rock ; another type had foi an ob- 
verse the New York State arms ; the one-cent 
piece bore on obverse an eagle. These coins, or 
tokens, are now quite rare. The Eagle and Rock 
three-cent piece is valued at about five dollars. 
Another " Eagle" type of the same denomination 
valued at thiee dollars. The N. Y. coat of 
arms three-cent piece is valued at three dollars 
and fifty cents. The most common of the 1837 
nickels is the cent having on obverse a flying 
eagle, and on reverse the words " one cent ;" its 
fictitious value would scarcely reach twenty-five 
cents, even in fine condition. All of the above- 
described pieces bear Feutchwanger's name. In 
1855 congress passed an act authorizing the 
coinage of nickel cents, bearing on obverse a fly- 
ing eagle, with legend around the same, " United 
States of America," beneath to be the date, 1856; 
on the reverse side in centre the denomination, 
" One Cent," surrounded by a tobacco wreath. 
This coin was to weigh 72 grains, and to be 
composed of an alloy eighty-eight parts copper 
and twelve parts nickel. In the spring of 1856 
these nickel cents to the number of about fifteen 
thousand were coined and put into circulation, 



lue, 10c. 


" 25c. 


" 50c. 


75 c . 


" 1. 00 


1.25 


1.50 



and immediately sold among coin collectors at a 
premium, which has increased annually at about 
the following ratio : 

1856, 1856 nickel cents fictitious value, 

1857, " " " " 
1858, 
1859, 
i860, " " 

1861, " " 

1862, " " " " 
1863 to 1873, f rom $ 2 to $3 each. 
1874 to 1886, from $3.25 to $5 each. 

These nickel cents were a great improvement 
on the old cumbersome coppers, and were con- 
tinued with various changes in designs until 1S64 
inclusive, when they were succeeded by the 
present bronze cent, and in 1857 the old copper 
cents were withdrawn from circulation. The 
next nickel coinage was ordered by congress in 
1865 to consist of a three-cent piece to weigh 
thirty grains, and composed of an alloy of seven- 
ty-five per cent, copper and twenty-five per cent, 
nickel, and this was followed in 1S66 by the coin- 
age of a five-cent nickel piece. Very little change 
occurred in the designs on the five-cent pieces of 
shield for obverse and rays and stars with figure 
" 5 " for reverse, except the removal of the 
"rays " in 1867 from the reverse side, and they 
continued thus until the " V " coinage was adopt- 
ed in 1883. 

The three-cent nickel pieces bore the bust of 
the Goddess of Liberty on obverse, surrounded 
by the legend, " United States of America " with 
date 1865. Reverse, the Roman numerals "III," 
surrounded by an olive branch. These pieces 
were continued without alteration until the pres- 
ent year. Although the three-cent nickel pieces 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



ii 



had no word " cents " represented on either side, 
yet the good public failed to take offence, as in 
the case of the five-cent nickel pieces of 1883, 
without the word " cents," and to this date the 
three-cent nickel pieces pass without question as 
to designated \alue. 

The five-cen> nickel pieces, as illustrated at 
the head of this article, appeared in the summer 
of 1883, and were coined without the word 
"cents" to the number of two million pieces ; 
but this great quantity failed to appear in circula- 
tion, as the mint authorities on account of com- 
plaints of the lack of the word " cents " and the 



appearance of the coins gold plated (hence liable 
to deceive as to value) retained in the vaults of 
the mint the greater portion of the issue, and 
this incident led to a change in the reverse, and 
the word " cents " was added, and all five-cent 
nickel pieces have appeared since 1883 with the 
denomination and value. 

The 1883 " V " nickels, without the word 
"cents," are worth in proof condition, 15 cents; 
in uncirculated condition, 10 cents ; and when 
worn or circulated, 7 cents. Dealers pay 6 to 10 
cents each for these pieces. 





UNITED STATES HALF EAGLES, 1795 TO 1834 INCLUSIVE. 



In June, 1795, at tne °^ Philadelphia mint 
(still standing opposite Filbert Street, fronting 
on 7th Street), the first United States gold coins 
were struck off (" eagles"). Following this issue, 
which was extremely limited (July 31), there 
were coined about one thousand half-eagles of 
the value of five dollars each ; although the value 
was not upon any part of the coin, they were ac- 
cepted, and known as '• half-eagles." 

It is a curious fact that the officials of the 
U. S. Treasury Department failed to place any 
denomination on the gold coinage for the years 
179S to 1799, inclusive; thus history repeats 
itself, in this respect, as the United States 
Treasury Department has failed to place the 
value on the three-cent nickel pieces of any 
date, and notably on the five-cent nickel 
pieces of 1883. 

The half-eagles of 1795 were much sought 
after by foreign numismatists, on account of 
their rariety and beauty, and it would not be far 
out of the way of the fact, to state that there are 
more half-eagles of 1795 in Europe to-day than 
in the United States. 



The half-eagles, in accordance with the change 
of designs on all the gold, silver and copper 
coinages, were much changed in appearance 
in 1798, the small eagle and wreath on 
the reverse side giving place to the large 
spread eagle, while the obverse retained the 
liberty-capped bust, while the number of stars 
was increased from 13 to 15 and 16. From 1800 
to 1834, inclusive, the change on the obverses 
was slight and confined to the bust, while the 
reverses bore a different shaped eagle, and above 
this, the motto, in a curved label, " E. Pluribus 
Unum." 

The 1795, l 79&> *797> 1798, 1799 half-eagles 
are all quite scarce, and range in fictitious value, 
as follows : 

1795, uncir'd, $12.00, fine, $10.00, good, $8.00 

1796, " 30.00, " 20.00, ". 12.00 

1797, " 20.00, " 15.00, " 10.00 

1798, " 10.00, " 8.00, " 6.00 

1799, " 8.00, " 7.00, " 5.50 

From 1800 to 1814, there was a large issue of 
half-eagles, and for the first time the value was 



12 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



expressed on the gold coinages by the following, 
" 5 D." All of these issues are common to 
dealers in coins and coin collectors, and although 
the intrinsic value in gold of each year is five 
dollars and thirty cents, up to the change in al- 
loy, 1834, they seldom fetch more than six or 



seven dollars, and very fine pieces, from i8co to 
1814, can be had at this price. 

The rarest and most valuable of the half eagles 
is dated 181 5, there being only half a dozen ex- 
amples known, and a fine specimen will always 
command a hundred dollars. 





UNITED STATES HALF EAGLES OF THE ORLEANS AND OTHER MINTS. 



The change in the designs on the half-eagles 
took place in 1834, when the motto, "E. Pluribus 
Unum," was omitted, and the gold alloyed, re- 
ducing the gold value of all half-eagles, 1834, to 
the piesent date (1886) six per cent. In 1886 
another change occurred from the "no motto" 
reverses of 1834 to 1865, inclusive, to the motto 
in label, " In God We Trust," which has been 
attributed to the late President Lincoln. In 1838 
the new branch mint at New Orleans commenced 
the coinage of gold and silver pieces, and upon 
all coins issued was placed the letter O., signify 
ing " Orleans," or " New Or'eans." There are 
no rare pieces among the half-eagles of any of 
the branch mints. 

There are a number of very rare half-eagles 
dated 1820 to 1833. Among them the rarest are 
1822 and 1824; the prices ranging as follows: — 
1820, uncirculated (no proofs known), $16. 
1820, fine, #13. 1824, good, $20. 

1820, good, 10. 1825, uncirculated, 25. 

1821, uncirculated, 20. 1825, fine, 16. 



1821, fine, 16. 

1821, good, 12. 

1822, uncirculated, 60. 
1822, fine, 50. 

1822, good, 35. 

1823, uncirculated, 20. 1827, fine, 
1823, fine, 15. 1827, good, 

1823, good, 10. 1828, uncirculated 

1824, uncirculated, 40. 1828, fine, 
1824, fine, 30. 1828, good, 



1825, good, 12. 

1826, uncirculated, 20. 
1826, fine, 15. 

1826, good, 10. 

1827, uncirculated, 23. 
18. 
12. 
20. 

15- 
10. 



1829, uncirculated, $30. 1829, good, $20. 

1829, fine, 25. 

1830, 1831, 1832 and 1833 worth from $6 to 
#10 each. 

There are several mint marks on various dates 
of the half-eagles : " O" for New Orleans, La.; 
"D" for Dahlonega, Georgia; " S" for San 
Francisco, California. The absence of the mint 
mark or letter from any United States coin 
signifies that it was coined at the " Master Mint," 
Philadelphia. 

The three-dollar pieces and the quarter-eagles 
embrace many rare and valuable dates. The 

1875 three-dollar gold-piece is the rarest, fol- 
lowed by 1863, 1S65, 1876 and 1877. The 1875 
is worth twenty-five dollars, proof condition ; $20, 
in uncirculated condition; $15, fine; $10, good. 

1876 worth $5 in fine condition; 1S77, fine, 54: 
1863, 1865 and 1868, fine, from $4 to $6. 

The " Quarter-eagles," or two and a half 
dollar pieces, from 1796, the first year of coinage, 
to 1834, with motto, are all worth more than 
par, and command about the prices annexed . — 
1796, with stars, uncirculated, $60 ; 1796, fine, 
#45; I 796, good, $25; 1796, no stars, range from $5 
to $15 ; 1797 and 179S, very fine, from $6 to £20 . 
1802, 1804, 1805, 1S06, 1S07, 1S08, very fine, $4 
to $y each ; 1821, very fine, $10 each ; 1824, very 
fine, $10 each; 1825, 1826 and 1827, very fine, 
each $S ; 1829 to 1834, with motto included, $3 
to $6 each, uncirculated. 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



13 




UNITED STATES GOLD DOLLARS. 



In 1849 the first gold dollar was issued, and 
continued annually until 1886, although the 
number during the past few years has been ex- 
tremely limited. There were two varieties of 
the gold dollars — viz., the large thin and the 
small thick planchets. The latter bear date 1849 
to 1854, inclusive, and the former 1854 to 
1886, inclusive. The rarest of the gold dollars 
is the 1875 issue ; the next in rarity 1876 and 1877 ; 
after which we have the 1864, 1865, 1866 and 



1868. Values as follows, in very fine condition, 
1849 to I 854> inclusive, $1.05 to $1.25 each; 1855 
to 1863, inclusive, $1.10 to $1.30 each ; 1864, un- 
circulated, $1. 25 ; 1865, uncirculated, $1.30; 1866 
and 1868, uncirculated, each $1.20; 1875, un- 
circulated, $3; 1876 and 1877 each #1.30, uncircu- 
lated; 1884, 1885, 1886, each proofs, $1.25 each. 
All others $1.05 to #1.10 each, fine to uncircu- 
lated. 




UNITED STATES HALF DOLLARS. 



The 1838 half dollar represented above, hav- 
ing the mint designation " O, " meaning that 
the coin was struck at the mint in New Orleans, 
is one of the rarest of the series of half dollars. 

The rarest United States silver half dollar is 
the 1853, without arrows at the date sides ; there 
being but one known. The example was origin- 
ally owned by B. T. Walton, Messenger of a 
bank in Pennsylvania, who picked it up in the 
summer of 1881 in his "collections," and sold it 
to J. Calvin Randall of the same State for 
twenty-eight dollars. This piece was purchased 
with Randall's silver collection in 1884, by W. 
E. Woodward of Boston, and subsequently sold 
by public auction in New York City for up- 



wards of a hundred dollars, and stands to-day as 
the only one of its class properly authenticated. 
There are 1853 quarter dollars without arrows at 
the date sides, but these do not rise in fictitious 
value, when in uncirculated condition, beyond 
ten dollars, while a fair specimen can be had for 
three dollars and fifty cents. The next half 
dollar in rarity and value is the 1838, with the 
letter "O" between the date and bust; which 
letter always indicates the New Orleans coinage. 
There are probably not more than half a 
dozen examples of the latter coin known, and 
the writer, who has had a quarter of a century's 
experience as a coin dealer, has seen but three 
of these rarities; one in the Mint Cabinet at 



14 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



Philadelphia, one in Randall's Cabinet, and one 
in Rodney and Mercur's Cabinet in Towanda, 
Pa. The value of the 1838 half dollar is vari- 
ously estimated ; but from ten to twenty five 
dollars, would not be an unfair valuation, in a 
dealer's point of view. 

The 1838 and 1853 half dollars, as above 
described, derive their rarity and value from the 
fact that the " Master Mint " in Philadelphia 
had ordered a cessation of the coinage of half 
dollars of 1838 and 1853 which had been 
struck from dies having the " O " and without 
arrows respectively : hence all subsequent issues 
of those years were coined without the "()" 
and with arrows. 

The half dollars next in rarity and value are 
dated 1796 and 1797. Of the 1796 there are two 
distinct varieties of the obverse sides ; one bear- 
ing thirteen stars, and the other fifteen stars. 
The 1796, with thirteen stars, is valued at from 
twenty to seventy-five dollars, according to con- 
dition, while the fifteen-star variety will com- 
mand from twenty-five to eighty dollars. The 
1797 half dollar is not quite as rare as the 1796, 
yet it will command very nearly the same value 
as the latter. The 1794, 1801, 1802, 1815, 1836 
"reeded" edges, and 1852 are classed as the 
rarest of the remaining half dollars, and the 
fictitious values of each are about as follows : — 
1794 half dollar, uncirculated, #75.00 
" " " very fine, 35« 00 

" " " fine, 10.00 

" " " good, 5.00 

1801 " " uncirculated, 40.00 



1801 half dollar, very fine, $20.00 
, " " " fine, 10.00 

" " " good, 4.00 

1802 " " uncirculated, 4500 
" " " very fine, 25.00 
" " " fine, 12.00 
" " " good, 5.00 

181 5 " " uncirculated, 20.00 

" " " very fine, 10.00 

" " " fine, 5.00 

good, 3.75 

1836 " " (reeded) unc'rcult'd 10.00 
" " " very fine, 5.00 

" *' " fine, 4.00 

" " " good, 3.00 

1852 " " uncirculated, 10.00 

" " " very fine, 6.00 

" ;c " fine, 4.50 

" " « good, 3.50 

There has long been a belief, among numis- 
matists, that an 1804 half dollar was coined at 
the U. S. Mint, and this belief is strengthened 
by the fact that " over dates " were of frequent 
occurrence in the early history of the mint, and 
an over date is well known and quite scarce, viz : 
" 1805 struck over an 1804." The latter proves 
beyond question that a die of 1804 was made 
with a view of coining 1804 half dollars, but up 
to the present date, there has been no example 
of the 1804 half dollar discovered. The 1805 
over 1804 will fetch at a coin dealer, when in 
fine condition, from five to six dollars ; but is 
frequently met with in ordinary circulated con- 
dition. 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



15 





UNITED STATES DIMES. 



The most interesting and valuable of the 
United States dimes, or ten-cent pieces, is the 
"Experimental" dime of 1792, usually termed 
" Disme," and the counterpart of the better- 
known 1692 half-disme. This piece has for ob- 
verse the bust of Martha Washington, and was 
coined from Washington's old silver plate, and 
intended more as family souvenirs for presenta- 
tion by Washington to friends. It is of French 
origin, as far as the designing and the making 
of the dies are concerned, the word" Disme '' 
plainly showing this fact. The legend on 
obverse of 1792 dime, is "Liberty Parent 
of Science and Indus." The reverse side 
has a small flying eagle surrounded by a wreath. 
The 1792 dime was struck in two metals, silver 
and copper; the fictitious value from #50 to 
$100 as to condition and metal. 

The regular issue of the dimes, did not occur 
until 1796. There was a bill passed by Congress 
previous to 1796, ordering an issue of •' Double 
Dimes" or twenty-cent pieces, but nothing of 
this kind was ever struck, excepting, perhaps, a 
pattern piece, until 1857, when the "twenty-cent 
piece " became a regular United States coin, and 
continued until 1878, when this coin was dis- 
pensed with. The 1796, 1797 and 1798 dimes 
bore the same designs, with the exception of the 
number of stars, which varied from thirteen to 
fifteen. Obverse, bust of Liberty with flowing 
hair, the legend "Liberty" above, stars upon 
either side, and beneath the bust the date. 



The design on reverse side of the 1800 dime, 
represented a large spread eagle, and the obverse 
exhibited a change in the bust from the flowing 
hair variety to the " Fillet Head." The latter de- 
sign continued until 1809, when the capped head 
of Liberty, with the word " Liberty " on the cap, 
appeared, with a smaller eagle on the reverse. 
There was no coinage of dimes for the years 
1799, 1806, 1808, 1810, 1812, 1813, and from 1815 
to 1819 inclusive. The rarest issues from 1796 
to 1820, are respectively in value as follows; 
1804, 1800, 1797, 1801, 1803, 1802, 1796, 1822, 
181 1, 1809 and 1805. 

In 1820, the dimes reappeared, and continued 
until 1825 inclusive, the rarest being the 1822. 
There was no coinage of dimes for 1826, but they 
were issued regularly after this date to the present 
time. The Philadelphia and the New Orleans 
mints, both coined dimes, the former from the 
year 1796, and the latter from 1837. In 1837, an 
important change was made in a portion of the 
issue ; the stars and legend being omitted, and 
the starless dimes continued during 1837 and 
1838, with and without the mint mark "0.'» 
A portion of the half-dimes of these years, were 
also starless. The dimes of the following years, 
up to and including i860, bore the stars upon 
either side of a seated figure of the Goddess of 
Liberty ; the reverse, presented the words, " One 
Dime," in two lines, inside of a laurel wreath, 
which was surrounded with the legend, " United 
States of America." 



i6 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



The rarest of the dimes from 1823 to i860, are 
the following given in rotation as to the value, 
viz: — 1846, i860 with stars, 1838 without stars, 
1824, 1828. There are numbers of varieties of 
the dimes, such as " over dates," large and small 
dates, etc., etc. 

The dimes with stars of i860, are few in num- 
ber, and are worth a good premium. During 
the latter part or the year i860, a portion of the 
dimes appeared with the legend, "United 
States of America," which supplanted the 
stars on the obverse, while the reverse, as in the 
illustration at the head of this paper, bore sim- 
ply the words, " One Dime " within a wreath 
composed of wheat, corn and tobacco, and all 
subsequent dates are of similar designs. 



Fictitious Values of United States Dimes. 

1792, experimental, proof $100, uncirculated, $75. 

1804, dime, unc. $100, very fine $50, good, $15.00 

1800, " " 40.00, r 

1797, " " 35- o0 > 

1801, " " 25.00, 
1803, " " 20.00, ' 

1802, " " 18.00, 
1796, " " 13.00, 
1822, " " 10.00, " 
181 1, " " 8.00, 
1809, " " 7.00, ' 

1805, " " 6.00, * 
1846, " " 5.00, 
i860, " (stars) 2.00, ' 
1838, "(no stars) 1.50, ' 
1824, " " 1.00, ' 
1828, " " .75, 



20.00, 




IO.OO 


15.00, 


« 


8.00 


IO.OO, 


« 


6.00 


9.00, 


« 


4-5° 


8.00, 


M 


4.00 


7.00, 


11 


3-75 


6.50, 


«« 


3-5° 


4.00, 


« 


2.00 


3-75, 


«( 


i-75 


2.00, 


«« 


1. 00 


1.75. 


« 


•75 


1. 00, 


« 


•50 


1. 00, 


M 


.40 


• So» 


« 


•25 


.40, 


'* 


.20 





MASSACHUSETTS CENTS, 1787-88. 



A petition was presented to the Senate and 
House of Representatives of Massachusetts, by 
James Swan, for the right to coin copper money. 
Swan wished to coin twenty thousand pounds 
value in copper ; the size, fineness, and designs 
of the coin to be left to the authorities to de- 
termine — the value to be determined by the 
relation of the coin to the British half penny, or 
to the French sol. No attention was paid to 
Swan's petition; but one Seth Reed, who had 
also put in a petition for the copper coinage, had 
received due attention, and Reed was called upon 
for further details of coinage. March 23, 1886, 
another scheme was introduced, and a committee 
appointed to consider the subject of coining silver 
as well as copper coin. On October 1 6, 1 786, there 
was finally passed "An act for Establishing 
a Mint for the coinage of gold, silver and copper." 



On June 27, 1787, the council advised that the 
devices for the intended coinage should consist 
of "The figure of an Indian with a bow and 
arrow, and a star on one side, with the word 
' Commonwealth ;' on the reverse, a spread eagle, 
with the words Massachusetts, 1787." A wooden 
building was erected on Washington Street, 
Boston, for a Mint house, and one Witherlee 
commenced coining the Massachusetts cents. 
The dies were made by Joseph Callender, of 
"Half Square State Street," Boston, particularly 
those for the 1787 cents and half cents, while 
Jacob Perkins of Newburyport made most of 
the dies for the 1788 cents and half-cents. 

Some ten thousand dollars' worth of coppers 
were coined. There are quite a number of vari- 
eties, the rarest and most valuable specimen 
being the cent having in the claws of the eagle 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



17 



the arrows and olive branch reversed, which in 
the common type were placed as follows : the 
olive branch being to the observer's right in the 
right claw of the eagle, and the arrows in the left 
claw. There is also a variety called the horned 
eagle, which was doubtless caused by a flaw in 
the reverse die. Another variety has the 
numerals eight in place of the letter S, evidently 
an error of the die sinker. The 1787 cent is by 
far the scarcer variety of date, and the 1788 half- 
cent the rarest of the half-cents ; both dates ap- 
pearing of the cents and half-cents. The Mas- 
sachusetts half-cents bear the same designs as 
the cents, with the exception of value which 
appears on the breast of the eagle, on the large 
coin, " cent," and on the small coin, " half- 



cent." The following fictitious values are about 
the prevailing prices for the Massachusetts cop- 
per coins, viz : 



1787 cent, branch and arrows revers. 


, fine, $50.00 


1787 cent, correct " 


2.00 


1787 cent, good, • 


.50 


1787 half cent, uncirculated, - 


3-50 


1787 half cent, very fine, - 


2.00 


1787 half cent, good, ... 


1.25 


1788 cent, uncirculated, - 


* 3°° 


1788 cent, very fine, - 


200 


1788 cent, good, - 


•75 


1788 half cent, uncirculated, - 


6.00 


1788 half cent, very fine, - - 


• 3-5° 


1788 half cent, good, 


2.00 





CONNECTICUT CENTS. 



There are among American Colonial coins 
none of more interest (when we take into con- 
sideration the vast number of types and varieties 
known to collectors) than the rudely engraved 
Connecticut cents, or " coppers," as they are 
sometimes termed. The dies for these coppers 
were from the inexperienced hands of two New 
York merchants, Samuel Broome and Jeremiah 
Piatt, who erected, in 1785, one mint at " Morris 
Cove," and another at "West Rock" on the 
shores of New Haven harbor, not far from the 
Lighthouse. The first coinage of Connecticut 
coppers, however, and a very limited one, was an 
unauthorized, or private issue of tokens, made by 
one John Higley, of Granby, Conn., from the 
copper ore dug on his own land at a place called 
"Copper Town." These peculiar pieces were 
made from 1837 to 1839, about three years, 
although the only date known to collectors, is the 



1737 copper. There were several types of the 
so-called Granby, or Higley copper, one had 
for obverse a deer, very rudely engraved, stand- 
ing in a circle slightly flattened at the lower 
part. Around the serrated border was the 
motto, "S3f= * VALUE - ME - AS - YOU - 
PLEASE*. In exergue, the Roman numeral, 
III. Reverse, three hammer crowned, around 
which is the motto " 2£jf= I - AM - GOOD - COP- 
PER -:. t. " in exergue, 1737. 

Another variety had same obverse as the pre- 
ceding, while the reverse represented a broad 
axe, surrounded by the motto, " 2^= I-CUtI 
MY - WAY - THROUGH " no date. A third 
variety had the addition of a crescent on the ob- 
verse field. Several of the Granby pieces show 
a beaded border, while some have a serrated, 
and others a plain border. The size and weight 
of these coppers varied, but nearly all in these 



iS 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



respects bear a close comparison to the ordinary 
Connecticut coppers. 

In 1785, about the middle of October, Joseph 
Hopkins, James Hillhouse, John Goodrich, and 
Samuel Bishop petitioned the General Assembly, 
then sitting in New Haven, to grant them the 
power to establish a mint, The petition was 
granted and with the dies, made by the parties 
mentioned in the beginning of this paper, about 
ten thousand pounds in value, of the coppers, 
were coined. The dies were constantly breaking, 
necessitating renewal almost daily, hence a great 
number of types and varieties — one collector 
having in his cabinet upwards of a hundred 
different specimens. The dates of the Con- 
necticut cents were 1737, 1785, 1786, 1787, 
178S. The number of varieties of these pieces 



is so large that we can give but a general idea 
of fictitious value, viz : — 

Granby, or Higley Copper, 1737, $50.00 to $100.00 

" " " " (no date), $20.00 to $50.00 

Connecticut cents, dated 1785, 35c to $2.00 

" " " I786, 20CtO $1.50 

" 1787, IOC to $1.00 

" 1788, 20c to $1.50 

By the Constitution of 1787, the United States 
government issued the Franklin or " Fugio cent," 
which was the first United States cent, and in- 
sisted on the suspension of the coinages and 
mints of the different States, assuming the ex- 
clusive right of coining money for the United 
States. The immense stock of Connecticut and 
other State coppers were sold, and the i787Fugio, 
or United States cents, were substituted. 





VERMONT CENTS. 



Crosby, who is conceded to be the best au- 
thority on American Colonial and State coin- 
ages, gives twenty-two types and varieties of the 
Vermont coppers, in his excellent work, " Early 
Coins of America," and we simply present the 
most common type, 1787, in the above illustra- 
tion ; The earliest Vermont copper coins were 
dated 1785, and presented on the obverse side 
the sun sinking behind the hills, or mountains 
partially wooded, beneath which a plow, and 
date 1785 ; around the border the inscription, 
'* VERMONTIS - RES - PUBLIC A." The re- 
verse side presents a series of the sun's rays, 
radiating from the centre, within which is a hu- 
man eye. Thirteen stars are placed between the 
outer ends of the thirteen large rays, while thir- 
teen smaller rays alternate with the former, 
making twenty-six rays in a circle. Around the 



border is the legend, "QUARTA-DECIMA- 
STELLA." There are several varieties of this 
type of the Vermont coppers. 

One variety reads on obverse, "VERMONTS - 
RES -PUBLIC A"; another reads, "VERMON- 
TENSIUM - RES - PUBLICA." There is also 
a rare variety of this class of pieces where the 
sun is at the extreme left, instead of the usual 
position at the right of the observer. There are 
two dates of the above described pieces, viz. . 
1785-1786. We next come to the "Baby Head" 
copper of 1786 Obverse a bust resembling the 
head of a child, legend "AUCTORI- VER- 
MON". reverse, seated figure of the Goddess of 
Liberty, holding in her extended hand an olive 
branch; around the border the motto, "INDE- 
ET-LIB." In exergue, 17S6. 

There are several varieties of this type of cop- 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



T9. 



per wherein the obversers present the bust of 
George III. with a great number of varieties upon 
the reverse, both in the arrangement of legends, 
dates and the Goddess of Liberty. 

The Vermont cents of 1787 and 1788 differ but 
little from the 1886 varieties ; and all are rudely 
executed, the 1787 pieces being frequently with- 
out date on reverses, while obverses present a 
very sharp and fine impression. The dies used 
in the making some of the Vermont coppers, 
was the work of Buel and Harmon, although 
there were several other die sinkers reported en- 
gaged in the work. A workman known to have 
been in the Vermont "Mint House," was one 
William Cooley, who resided in Rupert, Vermont. 
Reuben Harmon struck the 1785 and 1786 Ver- 
mont cents, and subsequently united in a co- 
partnership with William Coley, Jas. F. Atlee, 
D. Brooks, James Greer, James Giles, Thomas 



Machin, Daniel Voorhees and Elias Jackson, for 
the purpose of running the Vermont Mint, and 
coined some 1787 and 1788 pieces, The Immune 
Columbia pieces of 1785, in silver and copper, 
are sometimes attributed to Vermont origin, and 
are the most valuable of the Vermont pieces. 

1785 Vermont cts are valued from 50c to $5.00 

1786 " " " " " 40c to 3.50 

1787 " " " " " 25c to 2.50 

1788 " " " " " 35c to 3.00 
Any strictly fine, or new-looking Vermont cop- 
per, is worth probably double the above highest 
quotations, as we have quoted only from good to 
very fine. There are many "Muled" Vermont 
coppers ; having the obverse die of one type 
muled with reverse die of a different type, and 
sometimes we find Vermont pieces that show the 
use of British coins in striking, probably, on ac- 
count of the scarcity of copper. 





NEW YORK CENTS. 



There are various "Experimental Pieces," 
and " Pattern Pieces," bearing an earlier date 
than the above illustration, but there is no posi- 
tive evidence that the State of New York au-. 
thorized a copper coinage earlier than 1787, and 
the fact of authorizing a coinage at the latter 
period is in doubt, as far as legal authority is 
concerned ; notwithstanding this, there have been 
coined various copper pieces, which passed cur- 
rent in the State, and many examples of the 
same are in the cabinets of collectors, and hands 
of the coin dealer. The most common of the 
New York coppers is the " Nova Eborac," or 
New York piece of 1787. Obverse, bust of Lib- 
erty, around which are the words "Nova Eb- 
orac ; " reverse, seated figure of the Goddess of 



Liberty, legend, "Virt. et Lib." (Virtue and 
Liberty) date 1787. There are half a dozen 
varieties of this copper, and some of them are 
quite rare. In most examples found at this day 
the date seems to have been weakly struck, and 
rarely shows ; the reverse side being frequently 
quite smooth, while the obverse is sharp and 
distinct. The establishing of a mint was dis- 
cussed by the Colonial Government, as far bacic 
as 1661, when the city of New York was known 
as New Amsterdam. During the year 1672 the 
" Court of Assizes " passed an order for regulat- 
ing the value of silver coins, and provided that 
the Pine Tree shilling of 1652, called at that 
time, the " Boston " shilling should pass current 
for one shilling (16 2-3 cts.), and that eight full 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



weight Spanish, or Mexican pieces, should pass 
current for six shillings. Among the pieces is- 
sued by private parties were the Immune and Im- 
munis silver and copper coins of 1785 and 1787 ; 
the former about the size of the old United States 
quarter dollar, and the latter, the size of the 
early United States copper cents. In 1786, there 
appeared a private copper issue with military 
bust on obverse of the governor, George Clinton, 
around which was the legend, " Non Vi Vir. 
tute Vici ; " reverse, Goddess of Liberty seated, 
with the words around the border, " Neo Eb 
oragensis," date beneath, 1786. The "Nova- 
Constellatios " coppers of 1783, 1785, and 1786, 
were all coined for circulation in New York and 
a fe i other States, but were ordered, it is sup- 
posed, by Governor Morris of New York, from 
the great English die sinker, Wyon. 

Many thousands of these pieces were circu- 
lated in the original thirteen States, and there 
are many types and varieties, some very rare, 
and others quite common. Among other rare 
New York coppers, are the so-called, " Liber 
Natus Liberatum," the Confederatios, or 
" Inimica Tyrannis " Pieces. We also find a 
number of muled copper pieces, such as an ob- 
verse of a New York piece, muled with the re- 
verse of a New Jersey copper ; thus showing 
that there were jackasses among our forefathers 



who tampered with the coinage, as did the 
fathers of a later period. There are gold, silver 
and copper pieces, that have had a New York 
origin ; one of the most valuable pieces being 
the gold " Brasher's Doubloon," a beautiful and 
artistic coin, the work of Ephraim Brasher, 
whose initials "e b "are stamped on the wing of 
the eagle upon the obverse side. The most in- 
teresting and perhaps earliest piece struck for 
New York, is a rude copper, bearing on obverse 
an eagle resting on a branch of a tree, around 
this the legend, "new yorke in America." 
Reverse, a group of trees, and a partly nude 
Indian with a bow and arrow in the left hand. 
This piece is not fully authenticated; but as it 
has been found under circumstances that would 
show originality, it is accepted as a New York 
token, struck in copper and brass. The ficti- 
tious value of the various New York pieces 
would puzzle a coin dealer, but might be given 
pretty nearly as follows : 

New York silver pieces 1785 and '86, $20 to $75. 
" " copper « 1783 " '85, 25c, " $2. 
" 1786 " '87, of the rar- 
est class, range from $10 to $150. 

New York, or Nova Eboracs of 1787, 25c. to $5. 
" " " Nova Constellatios of 1783 and 
'85, 25c. to $3, 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 





NEW JERSEY CENTS. 



Doctor Edward Maris, the well-known numis- 
matic authority on the types and varieties of the 
New Jersey copper coins, gives one hundred 
different types and varieties of these pieces in 
his published photographic plate, which ap- 
peared a few years since in Philadelphia; but 
subsequent research has added several new va- 
rieties to the list, and it would be safe to assert 
that there are at least one hundred and twenty- 
five different New Jersey coppers. 

The earliest known New Jersey pieces, or 
coppers, that circulated by law in the Colony, 
were called "St. Patrick's Plalf-Pence." In 
May, 1682, the authorities of the Province of 
New Jersey passed an act which provided that, 
for the more convenient payment of small sums, 
the Mark Newby, or " St. Patrick's Half- Pence 
shall, from and after the eighteenth of May, pass 
for half-pence, current pay of this Province." 
These copper pieces were very peculiar, having 
on obverse side a crowned King kneeling, and 
playing upon a harpsichord ; above the King's 
head a small crown, with a small piece of com- 
position, resembling brass, inserted in the centre 
of the crown ; legend, " Floreat Rex." Reverse, 
a representation of St. Patrick, in midst of a 
number of people ; on the left side, a shield with 
emblems resembling altars ; legend, " Ecce Grex." 
There are two sizes, half-penny and farthing, 
and both are rare ; the largest being the rarest. 
Fictitious value, from one to five dollars. There 
are several varieties of St. Patrick or New Jer- 
sey provincial coppers. The regular Colonial 
coinage of New Jersey, under the United States 
government and Colonial law, commenced in 
1786. The coppers of this period present on 
the obverse, in the centre, a horse's head look- 



ing right, beneath which is a plow, and in ex- 
ergue the date, 1786. Legend around the 
border, "Nova Caesarea," (New Caesar). "Re- 
verse, a shield with thirteen bars ; legend " E 
PLURIBUS UNUM." These coppers are 
nearly the weight and about the size of the 
United States copper cents of 1797 to 18 14. 
There are many varieties of the 1786 pieces, the 
most valuable being with date under the plow- 
beam. The next issue was 1787, and there were 
larger quantities issued than the preceding 
year ; hence are more common at the present 
day, and of less fictitious value than their prede- 
cessors. * One of 'the varieties of 1787 has 
the U in PLURIBUS omitted, and reads 
PLURIBS. 

The designs remained substantially the same 
until 1788, when specimens were coined with 
the horse's head reversed (looking to the observ- 
er's left). The other varieties of the 1788 
pieces are somewhat similar to the ordinary 
types of the 1786 and '88 pieces. There is one 
peculiar 1788 copper termed the " Fox" variety, 
having on the left border of the reverse an 
animal resembling a dog, horse, or fox in the 
act of running. The values of the different 
dates can only be approximated, as the different 
types, varieties, and conditions would require 
many pages of values to represent their actual 
fictitious worth individually. The probable 
value is about as follows: 
1786 N. J. ct.(date under plow beam) $100 to $300 

1786 " " (ordinary varieties) 25 cts. 

1787 " " ( Do. Do) 15 cts. 

1788 " " (Fox Type) 50 cts. 
1788 " " (Pluribs variety) $1.00 
1788 " " (Ordinary " ) 25 cts. 



to 


5 


to 


3 


to 


5 


to 


10 


to 


5 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 




MARYLAND COINS. 



Although articles of merchandise, such as 
wheat, rye, tobacco, &c, passed as currency in 
Maryland during the days of its early settlement, 
it was not until about 1661 that a bill was passed 
iii the Province of Maryland to establish a mint, 
under the authority of the Lords Proprietors, and 
not until about 1670 that silver coins appeared in 
circulation in the Province. Lord Baltimore was 
engaged extensively in forcing his coinage upon 
the people, and the authorities were bitterly op- 
posed to such coins. In 1659 Lord Baltimore 
was cited to appear before a council for sending 
great quantities of silver coin into the Province. 
Notwithstanding the quantities of the Lord Bal- 
timore pieces put into circulation, they have since 
become very rare, and it is not unlikely that this 
personal coinage was suppressed, as was the 
Baltimore " Standish Barry " three-pence of a 
later date. 

There are varieties of the Maryland, or Lord 
Baltimore pieces; but the difference consists 
chiefly in punctuation marks, especially in ex- 
amples of the shilling. 

The Lord Baltimore Shilling. 

Obverse, a profile bust of Lord Baltimore, 
surrounded by the legend, C^ECILIVS : Dns : 
TERR^E — MARINE : &ct. Reverse, a shield 
with diagonal, crossing perpendicular bars, 
crowned. The value, X to left of shield and II 
to the right, signifies XII pence, or shilling. 
Legend, CRESCITE : ET : MVLTIPLICA- 
MINI (increase and multiply). While in Lon- 
don the past summer, the writer examined several 
Lord Baltimore pieces, but the varieties — shilling 
and sixpence — were similar to the illustration 
above. 

The Lord Baltimore Sixpence and Groat 

differ only in size from the shilling, although 
much rarer than the latter. The Lord Baltimore, 
or Maryland copper penny, presents the same 



obverse as the silver pieces ; but upon the reverse 
side there is a crown, or duke's coronet, upon 
the top of which are two ducal pennants, around 
which is the legend DENARIVM : TERR^E- 
MARIiE. 

In visiting Dr. Charles Clay, of Manchester, 
England, some years ago, with a view of pur- 
chasing his grand cabinet of American coins and 
medals, the writer was shown by Dr. Clay a 
copper piece, apparently a "trial piece," from 
the dies of the Lord Baltimore shilling, the 
punctuation of which differed from the usual 
types; but there has not been seen, as far as 
known, any similar piece; hence, there may not 
have been examples of Dr. Clay's piece coined. 

The Lord Baltimore penny is an exceedingly 
rare coin, if not unique, as but one example is 
known ; and this piece was imported from Eng- 
land by the late Joseph J. Mickley, of Philadel- 
phia, at a cost of $365, including expenses, and 
was sold by auction at Geo. A. Leavitt & Co.'s 
sales-rooms, Astor Place, New York, in 1S67, for 
$370. The Standish Barry Three Pence was 
issued in Baltimore, 1790, and known as the 
" Baltimore Three Pence." This was a private 
(or shop) token, in silver, and has an obverse rep- 
resenting, as supposed, the bust of Standish 
Barry, a Baltimore jeweller, around which is the 
legend, " Baltimore Town, July 4, '90 " ; hence 
it was often termed the "4th of July Three 
Pence," or " Independence Token." The reverse 
has the value, " Three Pence," in two lines, in 
the centre of a plain field, around which, on the 
border, is the legend, curiously arranged in 
beaded crosses, the letters forming the name, 
" Standish Barry," edge-milled. 

The value of the Maryland coins may be 
stated at about the following prices : 

Maryland Shilling $1000 to $25.00 

" Sixpence . •. . . 12.00 " 35.00 

" Threepence . . . 6.00 " 15.00 

" Penny 500.00 

Baltimore Town Tiece (Token) 15.C0 " 30.00 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



23 





VIRGINIA COINAGE. 



Although it is claimed that the earliest Ameri- 
can or colonial State coin was the Sommer 
Islands shilling, and circulated in Virginia 
about 161 2, thus ante-dating the Massachusetts 
shilling fifty years, yet the Sommer Islands 
were in Bermuda, where, in 1609, Sir George 
Sommers was wrecked, and the islands subse- 
quently became possessions of Great Britian. A 
London, afterwards a "Virginia Co.," colonized 
the Sommer Islands, under the management 
of Sir George Calvert; subsequently, this gentle- 
man became the founder of Maryland, and an 
adherent of the Roman Catholic Church, al- 
though previously belonging to the Church of 
England, and finally was forgiven his apostacy, 
and made Lord Baltimore by King James. 

A private token, called the Gloucester Piece, 
was probably the first token issued in Virginia; 
but the first regular coinage prepared for Vir- 
ginia, was the "Virginia Half Penny," 1773. 
Obverse, bust of Geo. III., legend, " Georgius 
Rex III ;" reverse, a shield crowned, quartered 
by the arms of England; legend, " Virginia:" 
date 1773. 

There was also issued a silver shilling, bearing 
the same devices as the copper piece ; but as 
there have been but a few examples known of 
this valuable coin, it was probably suppressed. 
There are several varieties of the Virginia half 
.penny, viz: Large and small planchets, and 
slight variations in the punctuation marks. 



These pieces were of English origin, and 
coined in England for the colony of Virginia. 
The fictitious value of the Virginia coins and 
tokens are at the present time, about as follows : 
The Gloucester token (brass) is valued at ona 
hundred dollars, and the only one the writer ever 
examined was the property of the late Joseph J. 
Mickley, and valued by him at about seventy-five 
dollars. The silver shilling piece ranges from 
fifty dollars to one hundred and fifty. 

There are not more than half a dozen Vir- 
ginia shillings known; hence their great value. 
The copper Virginia half-pennies vary in 
value according to variety and condition, viz : — 
Uncirculated half-penny, 1773, $2.00 

Very fine " " " $1.00 

Very good " " " .50 

Fair " " " .25 

The above quotations are for the [ordinary type, 
varieties fetching a slightly advanced price. 

Col. Cohen, of Baltimore, Maryland, a famous 
collector of the past (now deceased), was the 
lucky possessor of several hundred bright uncir. 
culated Virginia half-pennies of 1773, which 
have been scattered throughout the country, and 
are frequently seen in private coin cabinets and 
in the coin dealers' stores, and, by way of paren- 
thesis, we would say that this gentleman pos- 
sessed a unique gold Washington cent of 1791; 
also a genuine United States dollar of 1804. 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 





NOVA CONSTELLATIO COINS. 



There has long been a mystery surrounding the 
Nova Constellatio pieces of 1783 and '85; 
some authorities attribute them to American or- 
gin and others to foreign. Be that as it may, 
there are varieties enough of these quaint and 
interesting copper and silver pieces handed 
down from generation to generation, to enlist 
the numismatist's closest attention. Whether 
as State, local, or government coins we view 
them, there is plenty of evidence in the multi- 
plicity of examples, that these coins passed cur- 
rent in the latter years of the last century, and 
came to collectors of the present time, as addi- 
tions to their American Colonial and State 
issues. 

The excessively rare types of these curious 
coins, such as the silver pieces of 1785, are of 
great fictitious value, and of limited issue. The 
Confederatios and a number of the Vermont 
pieces have reverses somewhat similar to those 
of the Constellatio. 

In the illustrations we present one type show- 
ing the reverse of the Nova Constellatio piece, 
and an obverse of the Confederatio. There are 
also New York " Excelsior " pieces of copper 
that may have originated from the same die 
sinkers in England as did the Nova Constella- 
tio pieces. The obverse of the latter coinage 
represents a wreath of laurel leaves, in the cen- 
tre of which are the Roman caps U. S., around 
the whole the legend, LIBERTAS * ET * J USTI- 
TIA. Reverse, as in cut above. There is a 
type of these coins having script U. S. in place 
of the Roman caps U. S., — both are quite com- 
mon. The Immunis Columbia in silver and 
copper, 1786, belong to the same family as the 
Nova Constellatios; also the Inimica Ty- 



rannis pieces of 1785, having the Confedera- 
tio reverse. The only apparent difference in 
the common Nova Constellatios, is in the au- 
thography of the legends ; the spelling being dif- 
ferent in varieties of the 1783 issue. These 
various pieces were, no doubt, struck by Wyon, 
in England, for speculative purposes in Ameri- 
ica, there being no authority yet discovered that 
would indicate an American State or govern- 
ment issue in connection with their history, as 
far as known. Many American pieces can be 
traced to the same speculative feeling controll- 
ing their issue; notably the 1783 Washington 
coppers. Soon after the close of the Revolu- 
tionary War, the French and English die sink- 
ers struck off various coins and medals, and 
unloaded the same in the American market, 
where they were eagerly snapped up by our patri- 
otic ancestors, as mementos of the times that 
tried the souls of men who would be free, and 
themselves struck the blow for that liberty 
which we now enjoy. The value of the rare 
copper Confederates, and the equally rare silver 
pieces, could scarcely be given, so rarely are 
they offered at public or private sale ; however, 
we might say that twenty-five dollars would be 
the minimum price for either of them, and one 
hundred and seventy-five to two hundred dollars 
the maximum price. 

The following prices show about the relative 
value of the common varieties of the Nova Con- 
stellatios: 
1783, Libertas Justitia, obverse 25c. to $1.00. 



Libertas et Justitia 



35 c - 



1785 Nova Constelatio (one L) 25c. " .75. 
" " Constellatio (two L's)40C " 1.5a 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



2 5 





UNITED STATES NICKEL AND BRONZE CENTS. 



The U. S. nickel cents, which were coined to ' 
supplant the heavy and inconvenient large cop 
per coins of equal denomination, made their 
first appearance early in 1856, and commanded 
unusual attention, from the fact that the old 
copper cents were still in circulation, and had 
not been legally called in ; hence, the people 
were led to suppose that the new nickels were 
simply "experimentals," while, in fact, they were 
" pattern pieces " when first issued. The differ- 
ence between "experimental pieces" and "pat- 
tern pieces " is quite marked, the former being 
"experiments" with various metals, to test the 
dies, before striking " patterns ; " the latter 
being struck with various designs and then sub- 
mitted to the "Coinage Committee" of Congress 
and the Treasury Department, for selection and 
approval. The selected coin becomes a regular 
issue, and the rejected pieces "patterns," while 
those struck in other than the accepted metal 
become "experimental pieces." The 1856 and 
1857 nickel cents were similar in design, viz. : 
obverse, an " Indian Head," with legend around 
the border, "United States of America" and 
date. Reverse, a tobacco wreath, within which 
the denomination was placed, "One Cent." 

In 1858 there were designed and struck twelve 
nickel "patterns," all bearing the date 1858, 
with a view of selecting different designs for the 
nickel cents. This was done in consequence of 
the severe comments and criticisms of the pub- 
lic press and people generally on the flying eagle 
on the obverse of the 1857 and 1858 cents, such 
terms being applied to the national bird as " Buz- 
zard Eagle," "Crow Eagle," etc., etc. There 
were struck off four 1858 pattern cents, with a 
large eagle (similar to the 1856 and 1857 nickel 



cents) on the obverse, each reverse being differ- 
ent ; four of the small or " Crooked-necked 
Eagle," four with the Indian Head obverses; 
making a set of twelve pattern pieces. Four 
different designs were used for reverses with 
each of the set of obverses, viz. : " Oak Wreath," 
" Oak Wreath and Shield," " Tobacco Wreath," 
and " Laurel Wreath." 

The 1858 piece selected was with Indian Head 
obverse and laurel wreath reverse, and in 1859 
the first regular coinage of these new designs 
occurred. In i860 another design was adopted 
for the reverse, viz. : " Oak Wreath and Shield," 
and this design has been continued through the 
series of the nickel cent coinage, terminating, as 
far as metal was concerned, with the year 1864, 
when the bronze coinage of two and one cent 
coinage commenced. The bronze cents bore the 
same designs as the nickel pieces that preceded 
them to 1858 ; while the two-cent bronze pieces 
appeared with new designs, but were cut short, 
there being but ten dates struck, viz. : 1864 to 
1873, inclusive. 

The bronze cents continued from 1864 to 1886 
inclusive, and appear likely to remain for years 
to come. The fictitious value of the nickel and 
bronze coins is about as follows : 



1856 New 


$1 


to 


*5. 


Patterns, $1 to $10. 


1857 


5 C - 


tt 


2. 


" 


None. 


1858 


5c 


a 


2. 


« 


50c. to #3. 


1859 


5c 


« 


1.50. 


n 


75c. " $2 


i860 " 


5c- 


u 


50c 


a 


None. 


1861, '2, '4, " 


3c- 


<< 


40c. 


" 


n 


1863 


3 C - 


« 


30c. 


a 


50c. to $1.50. 


i864toiS76" 


2C. 


tt 


25c. 


tt 


None. 


1877 


IOC. 


tt 


50c. 


tt 


<< 


1878 to 1885" 


2C. 


(< 


IOC 


tt 


« 



26 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS. 




FLUCTUATIONS OF RARE UNITED STATES SILVER COINS. 



It is a matter of considerable interest, pe- 
cuniary and otherwise, to the coin collector and 
general reader, to learn something of the past 
value of rare American coins as compared with 
the present value of the same. The writer's 
experience as a coin dealer and collector, ex- 
tending through a period of thirty years, fur- 
nishes a fair opportunity to trace the rise in 
the fictitious value of American coins. 

The above group of rare United States silver 
coins embraces those pieces that are found 
occasionally at the coin dealers' stores, and in 
auction sales of large private cabinets. The 
most noted increase in the fictitious value of 
American coins during the quarter of a century, 
embracing the years i860 to 1885 inclusive, is 
connected with the United States silver dollar 
of the year 1804, and the half-dime of the year 
1802, the former increasing from three hundred 
dollars in i860 to one thousand dollars in 1885, 
while the latter increased from one hundred to 
four hundred dollars in the same time. In the 
cases of increase in fictitious value, we instance 
only very fine coins ; but others of the same 
dates, not so fine, have increased in value in a 
corresponding ratio. The 1794 United States 
silver dollar, which occupies the centre of the 
group in our illustration, was authorized by an 
act of Congress, April 2, 1792, and was struck 
at the old mint, opposite Filbert Street, in 
Seventh Street, Philadelphia, and is still stand- 
ing. This dollar, which is considered very rare, 



commanded a premium of about $25 in i860, 
and has steadily advanced in fictitious value 
from year to year, and commanded, in every 
condition, in 1885, the sum of three hundred 
dollars. It is said that but few of the 1794 
dollars were struck, and the earliest from the 
dies equalled proof pieces in their glistening 
splendor. The British Museum contains the best 
known specimen of the 1794 dollar, and prob- 
ably received it as a gift from our Government 
the year it was coined. The next in rotation 
of date, in our fac simile representation, are 
half-dollars of extreme rarity; viz.: 1796 and 
1797. These much-sought-after pieces are very 
difficult to obtain in fine condition, but fair 
specimens were valued by numismatists in i860, 
at $15 to $20 each. 

[The first half-dollars appeared in 1794, 
although the coinage was authorized April, 
1792. There were but a few thousands of the 
1794 half-dollars coined, which fact was fully 
compensated for by an unusually large coinage 
of 1795 half-dollars.] Taking for a basis the 
fictitious value of the 1796 and 1797 half-dollars 
at $15 and $20 in i860 for fair specimens, and 
$35 for very fine pieces, the progression upward 
has been about as follows : 

1865 Fictitious value of 1796 and 1797 haU-dollars, $45 each. 
Ig70 « „ u .« u u « u 5S „ 

l875 « « » « « « « « 70 « 

j88o " " " " " " " •* 85 " 

x885 " " " " " " " " 100 " 






RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



2 7 



Thus it will be seen that a pair of these rare 
half-dollars in very fine condition will command, 
at the present time, fully $200, while good 
specimens will command about one-half of this 
price per pair. 

United States dimes of 1800 and 1804 come 
next in view. The dimes, or ten-cent silver 
pieces, were authorized by the same act of Con- 
gress that legalized the issues of the dollars 
of 1794 and the half-dollars of 1796 and 1797. 
The first experiment, however, with the decimal 
coinage, occurred in 1792, by a private issue of 
the Martha Washington " Dismes," or dimes, 
which were limited to a few pieces, distributed 
, among Washington's near relatives. The first is- 
sue of the regular coinage of dimes was in the year 
1796, when there was a moderate quantity cir- 
culated ; in fact, the issue of dimes of 1796, 1797, 
1798, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 and 1804 was very 
limited in extent and are all rare ; while issues 
of 1805, 1807, 1809 and 181 1 were confined to 
a few thousands in number; hence, we have 
no common dimes at the present time (except- 
ing, perhaps, 1814) until 1850, all previous issues 
having long since passed into the list of scarci- 
ties. The rarest of the dimes is the 1804, fol- 
lowed by the 1800. In the year i860 these 
pieces, in fine condition, were worth respec- 
tively as follows : 

i860, 1804 dime, very fine, $10. 1800 dime, $5. 

1870, " " " " 15. " " 10. 

1880, " " " " 20. " '« 15. 

1885, " " " " 25. " " 25. 

We now come to the 1823 and 1827 quarter-dol- 
lars. The quarter-dollars were also authorized by 
the act of 1792, but did not reach public circula- 
tion until 1796, and then only in limited numbers. 
From 1797 to 1803, inclusive, there was a rest, 
and no coinage of these pieces occurred. In 
1804 a limited number of quarters appeared; 
also in 181 5; but in 1823 and 1827 the issue 
was confined in the first instance to a few hun- 
dred pieces, and in the latter case, there were 
scarcely a hundred, and in every case these were 
"proof" pieces. The appreciation in value of 
these rare quarter-dollars is marked with the 
same numismatic spirit, in a pecuniary sense, 
as the preceding coins, viz. : 

i860, Quarter- dollar of 1823, very fine, $10. Proof 1827 $25. 
1870, " " " " " " 30. " " 40. 

" " 60. 



75- 
100. 



125 



The 1836, 1838, and 1839 United States silver 
dollars have been long considered " Pattern 
Pieces," not belonging to the regular coinage; 
but, be this as it may, all collectors of silver 
coinage of the United States, place these rare 
and valuable pieces in their regular series of 
dollars ; hence we may as well admit these " Pat- 
terns " into the ordinary series of dollars. 

The United States silver-dollar series are 
badly broken, chronologically (also the quarter- 
dollars, dimes, and half-dimes) ; there being no 
dollars issued between 1804 and 1840, inclusive 
(excepting the " Pattern " dollars of 1836, 1838, 
and 1839). As the "Pattern" dollars bear 
nearly the same devices and legends, we will 
embrace the three pieces in the valuation from 
i860, when the dates stood in fictitious value as 
follows : 

i860, dollar of 1836, proof, $3.50. 

1870, " " " " 6.00. 

1880, " " " «' 10.00. 

1885, " " " " 15.00. 

The 1838 and 1839 United States Silver 

Dollars. 

These " Pattern Pieces " were very limited in 

number, and, like the 1836 dollar, only struck 

in " Proof " condition. Appreciated value, viz. : 

i860, 1838 proof dollar, $10; 1839 proof dollar, $5- 

1870, " " " 25; " " " 18. 

1880, " " " 35; " « " 25. 

1885, " " " 60; " " " 35. 

One of the most remarkable instances of the 
increase in fictitious value, in the United States, 
of a single coin, applies to the little nickel cent, 
of the year 1856. When the old copper cents 
were about to be dispensed with as a legal 
tender, experiments were made to introduce 
a smaller and more convenient one-cent coin ; 
hence, in 1855, experiments were made in nickel, 
and after repeated trials with large and small 
eagles (so called " Buzzards," and " Crooked 
Necks,") the nickel cent, with flying eagle of date 
1856, was produced and sent on its course in small 
sums throughout the United States. At that 
time any person could walk into the mint and 
get a hundred of the new coins. Now comes the 
sequel, showing fluctuations. 

After Twenty-Five Years. 

1856 nickel cent of the United States, proof, $ .01 

proof or unc'd, .01 
i860, " " " " " 
1870, " " " " 



[885, 



•50 
2.00 
300 
4.00 



26 



RARE AMERICAN COINS. 



OBSOLETE UNITED STATES SILVER AND BRONZE COINAGES. 



Among the silver coins that have been dis- 
continued by the United States Government 
there are the " twenty-cent" and " three-cent " 
pieces. The twenty-cent piece was issued in 
1874 as a pattern (worth from $20 to $35 each), 
followed by the regular issue in 1875, continuing 
1876, 1877, and 1878, when the coinage ceased. 
The 1877 and 1878 issues were few in number, 
and always found in proof condition, valued 
respectively at $3.50 and $2. 50. Obverse, head of 
Liberty surrounded by thirteen stars, date below ; 
reverse, spread eagle, arrows, olive branch, etc. 
On each side a star, plain edge; a few pieces 
were struck with reeded edges, and are worth 
$1 each. The silver three-cent pieces were 
coined for the years 1851 to 1873 inclusive, and 
bore on obverse a large star in centre bearing 
an American shield, legend around the border, 
" United States of America," date below ; re- 
verse, an ornamental C, within which is the 
denomination III, and three arrows below, 
thirteen stars around the border. There were 
but few pieces coined from 1863 to I %73 inclu- 



sive, hence very rare ; and these pieces, generally 
"proofs," command from 75 cents to $3 each. The 
other dates are worth from 5 cents to 50 cents 
each, according to condition. There was a pat- 
tern three-cent piece struck, dated 1850, worth $3. 
The coinage of " two-cent " pieces was confined 
to a series of ten different dates, commencing 
in 1864 and continuing up to, and including, 1873. 
The [obverse side bears the American shield 
enclosed in a reversed wreath (evidently an 
error in arrangement, to which numismatists 
have heretofore been silent), a waved label at 
the top contains the legend, " In God we Trust," 
date below. On reverse side is a large numeral 
2, under which, in a curved line, the word 
Cents, around this a wreath of wheat, and 
around the whole, the legend, " United States 
of America." This coin is similar in metal to 
the bronze cents of the same dates, edge plain. 
The value of these coins ranges as follows : 1873, 
$1.50; 1872, from 15 cents to 75 cents each; 
the other dates only valuable when in uncirculated 
ox proof condition. 



Rare American Coins: 







Their Description, 



pa$t ar?d pn?s<?r?t pic;titioti$ l/alue$. 




/I A' 



B . I. <> C K E MASON 




PUBLISHED BY PERCIVAL GASSETT. 

1887. 



LYMAN H. LOW & CO. 

Have always on sale the largest and best assorted stoek of 

^ 0il ?5> ^%^^^^SS^Kp Elating to the 

rn<?dais, me^H w^^*m ^^^^ ND samei earried 

ai?d B00t(8 ^^^^^jt^^^^ m America. 
853 BROADWAY, NEW YORK. 

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